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Concerns expressed by retail leaders following Chancellor’s Autumn Statement

23 Nov 2023

Retail sector leaders have expressed a range of concerns, from taxation to business rates, following the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement this week.
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Winners of Booker Prize Indie Bookshop Spotlight competition named.

22 Nov 2023

Six independent bookshops from around the UK have been named as the winners of the inaugural Booker Prize Indie Bookshop Spotlight, a competition in which independent bookshops and booksellers... Read more…

New Conservative Party chairman writes responds to NFSP DVLA petition.

21 Nov 2023

The National Federation of Subpostmasters has received a response from new Conservative party chairman Richard Holden MP regarding the petition to keep DVLA services in post offices.
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British Business Bank launches new ‘Making business finance work.

21 Nov 2023

The British Business Bank has launched a new guide aimed at smaller businesses to help them understand how different financial products can support them at all stages of their development.
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Indie Shops to Boycott Black Friday

21 Nov 2023

Independent retailers across the UK are set to defy the Black Friday sales frenzy for the third year running, according to a survey conducted by Bira, the British Independent Retailers... Read more…

Indie shops key to reversing fortunes of struggling high streets, new study shows.

20 Nov 2023

A focus on independent stores and ‘browse-only’ shops can help to reverse the fortunes of the struggling high street, new research shows.
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Bira sets out expectations for this month’s Budget.

15 Nov 2023

The British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA), which works with over 6,000 independent businesses of all sizes across the UK, has outlined its expectations from the government... Read more…

Mixed picture on consumer spending plans for Christmas

7 Nov 2023

New survey data from Deloitte has shown a seven percentage-point rise in the number of UK consumers - from 19% in 2022 to 26% in 2023 - who intend to spend more in the last three months of 2023,... Read more…

Grants of up to £100,000 made available to boost Cornish High Streets

7 Nov 2023

Communities across Cornwall can now apply for grants of up to £100,000 to improve High Streets, the council has said.
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Warwickshire County Council launches campaign to promote Christmas shopping at independent businesses

6 Nov 2023

A Christmas campaign encouraging Warwickshire’s independent town businesses to shout about why shoppers should buy from them this year is making a comeback.
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Consumers feel protective of independent shops and want to support them for their ‘social good’

Posted on in Business News

New research has found that consumers feel protective of independent shops and want to support them for their ‘social good’.

pictureque high street

The research, by Faire, the online wholesale marketplace, is based on a survey of 2,000 consumers and 100 independent UK retail leaders conducted by Opinium.

It found that:

  • 30% of British consumers say they feel responsible for supporting independent retailers.
  • 32% of those surveyed said shopping at independents allows them to reduce their carbon footprint and 20% said they think indies provide more sustainable products.
  • Despite this, 48% of British consumers still think independent shops are too expensive when compared to larger chains and online marketplaces.

Despite wanting to support the sector, 20% of British consumers have cut back on shopping at independent retailers because of the cost-of-living crisis – but that there are significant opportunities if independent retailers adopt digital innovation.

Other key take-aways include:

  • independent retail is under pressure in adverse economic conditions…

    • 20% of British consumers are cutting back on shopping with independent retailers because of the cost-of-living crisis.
    • 48% of British consumers think independent shops are too expensive when compared to larger chains and online marketplaces.
  • The independent businesses thriving at the moment are the ones innovating with digital technologies:

    • Among independent retailers, 66% felt their businesses were thriving thanks to digital transformation and 48% said that embracing technology has increased revenues.
    • 61% of the small-to-medium-sized independent retailers surveyed who operate both in-store and digitally report that their business is thriving.
    • The number of independent retailers using Faire in the UK has now hit 45,000: four times the number of stores than the four largest supermarket chains combined.
  • In fact, digital innovation represents a major opportunity for independent retailers to thrive.

    • 92% of the retail leaders agreed offering consumers the ability to browse goods online would enhance the shopping experience.
    • 73% of consumers said that integrating some form of digital retail service would encourage them to shop at their local retailers more

Commenting on the report, Olivier Buffon, Head of International at Faire, said: “Small and independent businesses are the backbone of our economy and our local communities. What this report shows is that consumers turn to them to provide products that are quality, which reflect their values, and which are thoughtfully curated.
“Combine this with the promise of digital innovation, both in how retailers source goods but also in offering digital ecommerce options to consumers, and it’s clear that despite some challenges, independent retail has a bright future.”

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